Software-defined networking (SDN) and a standard based identifier/locator network protocol (ILNP) can be used to simplify mobility management. SDN is an approach to computer networking that allows network administrators to manage network services through abstraction of lower level functionality. This can be accomplished by decoupling the system that makes decisions about where traffic is sent (the control plane) from the underlying systems that forward the traffic to the selected destination (the data plane). ILNP is a network protocol designed to separate the two functions of network addresses, the identification of network endpoints, and assisting routing by separating topological information from node identity information. ILNP is also backwards-compatible with existing internet protocol (IP), and is incrementally-deployable.
SDN and standard based ILNP can be used instead of general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocols (GTP) across radio access networks (RAN) and various types of gateways for different radio access technologies. GTP is a group of IP-based communications protocols used to carry general packet radio service (GPRS) within a global system for mobile communications (GSM), universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) and long term evolution (LTE) networks.
The above-described background relating to a mobility management mechanisms is merely intended to provide a contextual overview of some current issues, and is not intended to be exhaustive. Other contextual information may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.